Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Selangor assembly now live on the internet

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (ES) - The Selangor State Assembly proceedings went live on the internet today in accordance to Pakatan Rakyat's commitment to the principle of transparency.

The assembly, which was opened by the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafudin Idris Shah was broadcast live on in the internet for about one and a half hours starting from 10 am today.

It is scheduled to go online again tomorrow until Monday. The live streaming at www.selangor.gov.my received some 7,000 hits at the end of its cast.

The state which is being governed by Pakatan coalition comprised of Islamic Party of Malaysia(PAS), People Justice Party (KeADILan) and Democratic Action Party (DAP) is the first state government under the coalition to hold its sitting.

Selangor Science Technology and Innovation committee chairman Rodziah Ismail said this is the first time the full session of the state assembly would be given live coverage.

She told a local daily on Monday that the decision to provide live coverage was consistent with the state's aim of operating a transparent government with good governance.

The Pakatan coalition won 36 out of 56 state seats to form the state government in the last general election. One of its legislator M. Manoharan, who was elected for the state seat of Kota Alam Shah was however currently detained under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) since Dec 13 last year.

Selangor however was not the first state to have a live webcast of its assembly proceeding as Kelantan under the administration of PAS had also conducted similar move after wresting control of the state from BN in 1990.

This latest addition however is expected to put more pressure on the federal government led by Barisan Nasional to have a live parliamentary proceeding. - Saadon Aksah/ES